Net type fishing apparatus



' June 23, 1959 D. B. GRABLE ETAL 2,891,342 l NET TYPE FISHING APPARATUS Filed May 6, .1957

gcnm/Au GEAELE,

I N VENTORS.

2,891,342 Patented June 23, 1959 NET TYPE FISHING APPARATUS Donovan B. Gralile and 3Linda Clare Grable, Long Beach, Calif.

Application May 6 19s'7,.sena1 No. 651,232

7 claims. (C1. 43s) This invention relates to improved'fishingfequipment yof the type in which va net is utilized for entrapping the fish.

In fishing with a net, the customary procedure is to manually throw the net (which is usually rather large and heavy) from a boat and into the water, and to then subsequently -pull in the net to recover the iish caught therein. A major disadvantage of this procedure has been the very great Yamount of physical exertion which is involved in manually throwing the rather heavy nets into the `water in a manner such thatthey will entrap sh. As a result of .this strenuous type ofwork which is `involved, the numberfo'f casts-whichcanbemade in a given length of 'time `is very limited, land as a -result the over- -all net fishing procedure =is relativelyV inefhcient and flimited.

The general .object of the present yinvention'is to provide anzimproved .type offishingrnet apparatus Ywhich is Yso designed as 'to eliminate the above discussedlstrenuous vphysical exertion, .and Ito 'alloy/.casting of va net with minimum effort. :For this lpurpose., we yutilize a special gun structure which is capable of mechanically ejecting the net 'from .aboat or :other 4carrier structure to fall into Vthe water at ,a desired 'location -near the boat. The net utilized with this vgun structure .is collapsible toa reduced dimension condition, and is held by the gun in that condition, `and-then .expands to `an increased :dimension and .in active 'condition after .'ejection. The net Amay be designed to automatically expand to the enlarged condition ias a result of 'the construction of the net itself, and

preferably by wirtue :ofzthe provision of spring means :in theznet yunittendingztoexpand it. Thesespring means may consist of one r'cir more coil springs attached to and 4extending kalong thezperpheryc'of .the net.

Desirably, .the :net contains :a compartment within which the 'fish may lbeentrapped, :and adapted to be closed by pulling :a sp'eciallyprovided draw string after Atheznet isin the iwater. Theadrawstring maybeactuable Yby'pullingftuline'wliich'remains attached to the boat, with ythat line also Abeing@usableforssubsequently pullingv in the netto recoverlthe fish.

vThecgun structure preferably includes a holding mechanism adaptedtoreceive and holdthenet in its collapsed Hcondition, Vandtothenrelease"the net for eiectiontoward Vthe zwater. The :holdingimechanism may. consist of` a plurality of parts vor ssectionsfwhich 'are `relatively movable 'between net holding and :released positions, and which desirably fo'rmttogether atub `or receptacle within which the net can'bezcontained.V The actuation of these sections to released positions may function to free the collapsed net structure vfor rapid escape Afrom the receptacle and ,simultaneous expans'ionof the net, lall by virtue of the built-in Vspring force of fthe -net structure.

lnassociation withthe netholding tub or mechanism, .there may be provided mechanism for rapidly moving the tub in a direction'toimpartr kineticlenergy or momentum over 'the water. Such movement of the tub may be effected by a firing spring, which is compressed by suitable power mechanism to cock the gunprior to firing. Additional control mechanism, preferably fluidv actuated, may be provided lfor aiming and controlling theffiring vrange ofthe gun.

The above and other features and objects of thejpresent invention will be better understood ,from the following detailed description ofthe typical embodiment illustrated in the Vaccompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows the bow of a fishing boat,with.the present fishing apparatus mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view, partially'broken away, of the Fig. l apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a further enlarged section taken online 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 4 4 of'Fig. 2;

Eig. 5 is a vertical section through the net as it appears in the water; i

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the peripheral portion of the net, and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary View showing the lreleasable hold-back latch element of the gun mechanism.

Referring first to Fig. l, the bow of a fishing boat is shown at 1li, with a net ejecting gun '1l embodying the Vinvention being/mounted on the boat. 'Gun 111 includes a vreceptacle or tub l2 which is adapted to receive `the net 13 in a collapsed small dimension condition of the net. The gun -is designed to actuate tub 12 in a manner to throw the net 13 outwardly from the gun and over vthe water, to fall down in the water at a location spaced fromithe boat and thus entrap fish beneath the net. After leaving tub l2, the net commences to open to the expanded condition shown in the upperrighthand corner of Fig. 1, and is desirably completely expanded or opened by the time Athe net hits the water.

The construction of the particular type of -net which is Yshown in the figures will probably be best understood 'by reference to Fig. 5. It Will be apparent, however, that certain details of this net structure may be varied in order to adapt the net for best handling Various different Vltypes of fish which may be sought. This net which is shown in the gures has a circular peripheral edge 14, which is'normally urged to the opened or expanded circular condition of Figs. l and 5 by four complementary coil springs 1S. Each of these coil springsextends along the periphery of net 13 through 90 circular degrees, with this and successive portions of the net being attached to successive turns of the coil springs as seen best in Fig. 6. Each of the springs normally assumes an arcuate configuration, so that when the net is released from its collapsed condition, the'four springs l5 hold the peripheral edge of the net in the condition shown in Fig. 5 in which the four springs are centered about the main axis '16 of the net.

Extending through the four coil springs l5 respectively, there are provided four flexible cables or wire lines 17, having circular discs it disposed about the cables 17 at the opposite ends of each of the springs 15. The dises 18 are-of a diameter somewhat greater than the diameter of the individual coils of springs 15, so that the Opposite ends of each spring l5 will be held by discs -18 against movement axially beyond the associated cable l7. In order to hold the discs themselves -against movement axially olii` of cables 17, each of the cables has at its opposite ends, and beyond discs i3, a pair of enlargements or heads i9, which are larger than the openings within discs 1S through which cable 17 passes, to thus hold the discs and springs Aon the cables `17 between enilargements4 19. Desirably, springsl kare Lalways under some compression, even in the fully opened condition of the net.

With reference again to Fig. 5, the flexible woven net material of net structure 13 has an essentially conical portion 20 tapering upwardly and inwardly from springs v15 to a small normally circular upper opening 21, which may be considered as being centered about axis 16. About this opening 21, the conical portion of the net may carry va series of circularly spaced typically metal eyelets 22, through which a draw cord or draw string 23 may extend circularly about axis 16. One end of this draw string 23 may be attached tightly to one of the eyelets 22a, so that the string 23 may then pass through all of the other eyelets and circularly about axis 16 to ultimately pass Vfrom the nal eyelet and out through the net to its exterior. The outer end of this cord 23 is then attached to the boat as at 24, so that the opening 21 may be closed from the boat by pulling on cord 23.

Extending from a vertically intermediate portion ot the conical part 23 of the net, there is an annular upper portion of the net which extends from a location 25 iirst outwardly at 26, and then upwardly at 27, and finally horizontally inwardly across the top of the rest of the net at 28. About the periphery of this upper circular portion 28, the net is attached to a circular cable or line 29, having a series of evenly circularly spaced floats 30 (typically cork floats) attached to line 29. rl`hus, iloats 30 cause the upper portion of the net to normally assume thecondition shown in Fig. 5. The springs and cables 15 and 17 are heavy enough to cause the entire net to gradually fall downwardly within the water to the floor 131 of the ocean or other body of water 132. During each falling movement, however, the buoyancy of floats 30 holds the upper end of the net well above the springs 15 and cables 17.

The tub 12 of gun mechanism 11 is movably mounted by an elongated hollow cylindrical rigid member 31, which functions essentially as a cylinder within which an externally cylindrical piston or plunger member 32 is axially movable. Plunger 32 rigidly carries an upwardly projecting arm 33, which slides axially within an elongated axial slot 34 formed along the upper side of member 31. Arm 33 carries at its upper end a transverse member 341, to whose opposite ends are pivotally mounted a pair of essentially semi-cylindrical halves or sections 35 of net receiving tub 12. More specifically, each of these sections 35 of the tub has a transverse semicircular bottom wall 36, -and an upstanding essentially semicylindrical sidewall 37 whose upper edge 3d is turned or curved inwardly as seen in Fig. 3 to hold the net within the tub.

Projecting downwardly from their undersides, the two sections 35 of the tub have lugs 39, which are pivotally attached -to member 34 to mount the sections 35 for swinging movement in opposite directions and to the broken line positions of Fig. 3 relative to member 341. This swinging movement of sections 35 is about two parallel spaced yaxes 40 which extend in essentially the same direction as the axis of member 3l, but are inclined somewhat with respect to that axis (see Fig. 2). Sections 35 are yieldingly urged from their Fig. 3 full line positions to their Fig. 3 broken line positions by means of a pair of springs 41, which are attached at their opposite ends to member 34 `and a pair of lugs 42 on tub sections 35. rl`he sections 35 are releasably held against such movement from their Fig. 3 full line positions by means of a latch structure shown in Fig. 4, which includes a latch element 43 pivoted at 44 to a part 45 projecting downwardly from the bottom Wall 36 of one of the sections 35. Latch element 43 is engageable with a coacting holding lug 46 projecting downwardly from the bottom wall 36 of the other tub section 35, so that when the latch parts are in the Fig. 4 holding position, they retain tub sections 35 in their Fig. 3 full line positions.

A coil spring 47 urges latch element 43 to its Fig. 4 75.

active position. This latch element 43 is released automatically when tub 12 reaches the final portion of an outward net tiring movement, such releasing action being elected by engagement of the inclined upper camming surface 4S of a cam element 49 with the underside of a portion 50 of latch part 43. Cam 49 is rigidly attached to member 31 at a location to engage latch element 43 at the proper instant during a firing action.

Plunger 32 and the attached tub structure 12 are adapted to be rapidly moved forwardly (to the right as seen in Fig. 2) by means of a coil spring 51 contained within member 31 and maintained under compression between member 32 and an adjustable backing plunger 52. At the forward end of its stroke, plunger 32 may engage a short coil spring 53, which is contained within the end of member 31 and acts as a decelerating or buier spring 53. The plunger and tub are retracted to the Fig. 2 cocked position, prior to each ring operation, by any suitable type of power equipment, such as a pneumatically operated winch 153 whose power driven winding drum 54 is attached to one end of a line 55 and acts to wind that line on drum 54 when the winch is energized. The opposite end of line 55 is attached to a releasable latch or holding unit 56, which releasably engages coacting element 57 on member 33. Referring more particularly to Fig. 7, this latch unit 56 may include a T shaped holding part having a portion which normally extends parallel to axis 64, and having a cross head 102 engageable with an essentially U-shaped member 103 attached to element 33. Part 100 is attached to llexible cable 55 by a swivel connection 104, which allows rotation of part 100 about axis 105 relative to the cable and between the full line holding position of Fig. 7 and the released broken line position of that gure. Such rotation of part 100 through approximately 90 circular degrees, between the delined positions, is effected by a handle 106 attached to part 100. In the released position of part 100, head 102 is able to pass through an elongated slot 107 in cross piece 108 of part 103, to free the member 33 and tub for forward ring movement. In the full line holding position of head 102, the head is engageable rearwardly against surfaces 109 on part 103 at opposite sides of slot 107, to releasably attach cable 55 to the tub structure for cocking the gun by actuation of winch 153.

The fluid operated winch 153, as well as the other later to be described uid actuated control mechanisms, may be supplied with pressure lluid from any suitable source of supply, typically represented as an air cornpressor 58 filling compressed air into an accumulator chamber 59. From accumulator chamber 59, air may tlow to a control valve 60, actuated by a control handle 6l, which valve constitutes a reverse valve capable of supplying pressure uid selectively to unit 153 through either of two lines 162, with discharge air returning through the other of these lines for ultimate discharge to the atmosphere. Thus, manually operated control element 61 may be actuated to supply iluid to winch 153 for driving it in either rotary direction. It will of coursebe apparent that if desired, a hydraulic system or any other suitable control system can be substituted for the discussed pneumatic arrangement.

The compression of spring 51 at the time of tiring may be regulated by adjustment of plunger 52 axially of member 31. For this purpose, we preferably provide a pneumatically operated reversible rotary motor 62, adapted to axially adjust element 52. Motor 62 may be mounted to member 31 in xed relation thereto, `as by .a pair of mounting arms 63, with the rotor of motor 62 'turning about main axis 64 of member 31, and rotatively driving a screw 65 extending through and threadedly engaging an inner threaded bore within member 52. As will be apparent, the rotary movement of screw 65 by Amotor 62 will act to threadedly actuate member 52 Y `axially within member 31, since member 52 is held aangegaan t5 againstfrotation "by a-1reception=.of-anf1upperdreyingflug 6'6 'on :member 552f=wlithin Ithetop lslot "34-o'fffmember `31. 'The operation of' motor f62 is Ycontrollul by a lreversing valve 67 -similarfto valve `(i0 and Aactuated by a manually :operated control member *68.

Member '31S is movably `mounted to a rotary table or support structurey '69, 'which is iin 'turn mounted-on a vertical support 70 attached rigidly by screws 71 to the deck 72f1ol:" =theftbolt. The rotary `table -"69 fis Ymounted by suitable .bearings for yrotation Iabout a vertical axis 73 relative to upstanding support 70. vRotary adjustment 11o'fmember '69 about laxis 73 -relative 'to memberl 70 is -feifected `by means -of another -frotary pneumatic motor '74 attached 'stationarily 4to -the dec-k by'support '75,-a1nd "hav'ingfa gear 76engagingacircular1gear 77 on -member T69; 'Motor -74 -is controlled by anassociated reverse 4valve 77, Lhaving -an actuating -hand1e`78. The `gear `76 drivenbymotor -74of course-turns'about anaxiswhi-ch is jparallel to-and-olset lfrom -axis 7 3.

-A final-'adjustment of the Vapparatus is obtained 4by mounting memberlfor swinging movement about horizontal axis 79 relative 'to member -69. This mounting Eis Aeffecterifby asuitable .pivotconn'ection represented at 80 in Fig. 2. For adjusting the inclination of member 31, we provide two rigid links 81 and 82 which are pivoted together and to a member 83 at 84, and which have their other ends pivoted yto members 31 and 69 respectively. The member 83 may be an intennally threaded nut element, threadedly engaging a screw member 85 which is rotatively driven by a pneumatic motor 86 controlled by a reversing valve 87 and its actuating handle 88. The body of motor 86 may be pivoted at 89 to the underside of member 31. It will, of course, be understood that rotary movement of screw 85 by motor 86 in either direction relative to nut 83 will cause links 81 and 82 to swing member 31 either upwardly or downwardly, to thus adjust its inclination relative to the boat. It will also be understood that each of the valve control elements 61, 68, 78 and 88, in addition to its two reversing positions, has an intermediate off position in which no fluid is admitted to `the associated pneumatic motor, to thus retain that motor in a desired set position.

In using the apparatus, the first step may be to actuate tub sections 35 to the full line positions of Fig. 3, in which they will be held against opening movement by latch element 43 of Fig. 4. The net 13 is then forcibly collapsed to a small enough condition to be received within tub 12. In order to effect such collapse of the net, the user may first axially compress one of the springs 15, by sliding one of the associated discs 18 along cable 17 toward the other disc 18 at the opposite end of that spring. In order to allow this action, at least one of the discs 18 must have a loose enough fit on the cable 17 to permit such sliding movement of the disc along the cable. When one of the springs has in this way been compressed axially enough -to be slipped into the tub 12, the spring is inserted into the tub. Next, another of the springs 15 may be similarly compressed and placed in the tub, and the other `two springs may in turn be compressed and placed in the tub, with the rest of the net being finally positioned in the tub about the compressed and circularly overlapping springs (see the representtaion of the collapsed net at position b in Fig. 1).

After the net has been collapsed and placed in the tub, the gun may be aimed as desired by actuating valve 77 to cause motor 74 to turn the gun in a proper direction, and by actuating valve 87 to cause motor 86 to set the gun to a desired inclination. Similarly, the compression of spring 51, and consequently .the firing range, can be adjusted by actuation of valve 67 to cause motor 62 to adjust the spring backing element 52. To cock the gun for firing, valve 60 may be actuated to cause winch 53 to wind line 55 on drum 54, to thereby retract part 32 and -tub 12 with the contained net to the Fig. 2

A.line positions ofwFig.. 3.

6 'position (against #the resistance .oieredf :by firing spring '5111)- After the gun has been aimed, `properlyadjusted and cocked for firing toward afparticular sighted school of fish, thepperator. releases latchmechanism `56of Fig. 7, Itofallow spring 51 to rapidly `move part 32 and the :attached :tub forwardly relative fto -member 31. This 'rapidmovementrofA tub 12'1'imparts forwardlkinetic energy to net l13.' 'Whentthe tub '12`f-reaches the Ifinal portion of fits forward travel, la'tchelement '43 engages cam 49, and is freleased tthereby, fto lallow tub sections 35 to 'swing-underthe fin'fluencefof springs -41 to f'their broken In Vthese-positionsy ofthe -tub sections, thejnturned upper portions :38 4ofithetulzrsections are opened outwardlyfarfenoughto` allowthe compressed and yconfined I coil springs 1'5 roffthe `inet .to fspring upwardly lout of the -tub sections.

Also, the upward movement 'of vthe bottom walls 36 of tub sections 35 ejects thenetupwardly routio'f-theftua toassure :complete Yfreeing yof the entire .bulk :ofthe-net :from 'the gun structure. `energyfof vfthe :net `cau-ses it'when once freed .to Amove outlwardly over the-water for :asubstantial distance, and to :then falllon the surface-'ofthe lwater.

The kinetic By the time the :net reaches the water, springs 15 have by their resiliency opened the net to position c of Fig. 1. The weight of springs 15 and cables 17 causes the peripheral portion of the net to fall downwardly toward the bottom 31 of the ocean or other body of water, while the floats 30 hold the upper portion of the net in a relatively higher condition. As the net moves downwardly within the water in the Fig. 5 open condition of the net, fish are trapped beneath the net, and can not possibly escape after the springs touch bottom. Many of these fish will attempt to go toward the surface, and to do so will pass through the upper opening 21 of the conical portion of the net 20, to thus be trapped in the top part of the net. Ultimately, virtually al1 of the conical portion 20 of the net may rest on the floor of the ocean or other body of water, so that almost all of the fish will pass upwardly through opening 21.

When the net was fired, line 23 was of course attached to the boat at 24. After the net has been fired and has trapped most of the fish in the upper part of the net, the operator recovers the net by merely pulling inwardly on line 23. The initial portion of this pulling movement causes the line or draw string 23 to close opening 21, so that the upper portion of the net above opening 21 will then be completely closed against escape of any of the fish therefrom, and the net may then be pulled to the boat without loss of any of the fish. The fish may be finally removed from the net by again opening the net at the draw string location.

We claim:

1. Fishing apparatus comprising a fishing net adapted to be ejected by a gun structure into the water and actuable between a collapsed small dimension condition in which the net is held by the gun and an expanded condition to which the net is opened in the water, and spring means carried by said net and ejectable therewith and yieldingly urging the net to said expanded condition.

2. Fishing apparatus as recited in claim l, in which said spring means are connected to and extend along essentially the periphery of a portion of said net and yieldingly urge said periphery outwardly to expanded condition.

3. Fishing apparatus as recited in claim l, in which said spring means include a plurality of coil springs extending along and attached to different portions of essentially the periphery of said net and urging said periphery outwardly to expanded condition, said springs being sepa rately compressible to reduce the net to said collapsed condition.

4. Fishing apparatus as recited in claim l, in which said spring means are connected to and extend along essentially the periphery of a portion of said net and yieldingly urge said periphery outwardly to expanded condition, said net forming a compartment having an opening through which fish swim into the compartment, and a draw string attached to said net and adapted to close said opening while the net is in the water.

5. Apparatus usable for deep sea fishing, comprising a net adapted to be submerged to bottom depths, collapsible metallic spring means attached to the net and applying thereto radially directed forces acting to distend the net, and a exible line attached to said net and adapted to run from the submerged net to the water surface.

6. Apparatus usable for deep sea fishing, comprising a net adapted to be submerged to bottom depths, collapsible means attached to the net and applying thereto radially directed forces acting to distend the net, said means comprising exible means in generally circular form and metallic coil spring means acting to radially distend said ileXible means, and a exble line attached to said net and adapted to run from the submerged net to the Water surface.

7. A net assembly usable for deep sea fishing, comprising a lower net adapted to be submerged to bottom depths, collapsible means attached to the net and adapted to apply thereto radially directed forces acting to distend the net so that the net extends upwardly within the area of said collapsible means, an upper net forming a sh trap compartment communicating with the space covered by said lower net through an opening yin the top of the lower net, buoyant means attached to said upper net' and acting to elevate the net about said compartment, and a exible line attached to said net and adapted to run from the submerged net assembly to the water surface.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 335,433 Darr Feb. 2, 1886 482,635 Hanish Sept. 13, 1892 1,351,628 Dukas Aug, 31, 1920 1,374,757 Napier Apr. l2, 1921 1,565,438 Griefe Dec. 15, 1925 2,549,475 Jardin Apr. 17, 1951 2,565,955 Dobrei Aug. 28, 1951 2,723,481 Schwartz Nov. 15, 1955 2,732,647 Byars Jan. 31, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 898,101 France June 26, 1944 

